Taiwan's military has gone on alert after detecting two Chinese warships operating near the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait, according to the defence ministry in Taipei.
According to Reuters, the move prompted Taiwan to deploy its own naval and air forces to monitor the situation.
Late Monday, the ministry said a Chinese destroyer and a frigate entered waters southwest of the Penghu islands, a strategically important area hosting major Taiwanese naval and air bases and located close to Taiwan's side of the strait.
“The military closely monitored the formation and responded appropriately using naval and air forces,” the ministry said, without providing further operational details.
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Reuters reported that the ministry also released colour aerial images of the two vessels, though their exact location was not disclosed.
China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, routinely sends warships and aircraft near the island, activities Taipei has repeatedly condemned.
While Taiwan provides daily updates on Chinese air activity, it rarely discloses details about naval deployments unless they involve high-profile assets such as aircraft carriers.
Beijing has defended such operations. Earlier this month, China's defence ministry said its military activities around Taiwan are entirely justified and reasonable, adding that tensions are the fault of the government in Taipei.
Speaking to Coast Guard officers in Taipei on Tuesday, President Lai Ching-te warned that China's grey-zone tactics, designed to pressure without direct conflict, are intensifying.
“They seek to manufacture a new normal that undermines the status quo,” Lai said.
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In its latest daily update, Taiwan's defence ministry reported that nine Chinese warships and 22 military aircraft were detected operating around the island over the past 24 hours.
While it mapped aircraft movements, largely in the strait and areas to the north and southwest, it did not specify the locations of the naval vessels.
Taiwan said it is also stepping up surveillance capabilities, including expanded deployment of drones, next-generation radar systems and infrared thermal imaging, with the Coast Guard playing a key supporting role alongside the navy.
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